


Gentle

by JoAsakura



Category: X-Factor (Comics)
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-12-22
Updated: 2011-12-22
Packaged: 2017-10-27 19:42:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/299362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JoAsakura/pseuds/JoAsakura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Be Gentle." she said.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gentle

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the AU presented in X-Factor 229 and some of Rukia's thoughts on it

Shatterstar's been in the danger room for two hours, and no amount of killing illusionary monsters is making the pain in his heart stop.

He doesn't understand it, it's so alien that he can't even find a way to describe it to Longshot in their native language. There is simply no concept in his experience to relate the pain of losing a friend.

In the arena, in the rebellion, there was no mourning. There were no songs sung for the deceased. There were no connections between them. You fought side by side and you kept going when your comrades fell. That was it. That was how he had been raised. There was only survival, and the distant promise of a different life after the Spineless Ones would be defeated.

But Earth was different. Earth was strange. and no one could explain it to him. They pairbonded here, without the spineless ones forcing it for breeding purposes. and their comradeship was more than just sharing ammo and rations in the gore-soaked muck of the battlefield. There were no Spineless Ones to fight here, but there were others. But it was all different, all wrong.

Even his creche brother, Longshot, seemed to understand. Or at least he rolled with it in the same lackadaisical way that Shatterstar was certain would have one day gotten him killed in Mojoworld. But Longshot had been raised to be a comedy entertainer, not a gladiator. And even when they had both escaped, the elder one remained jovial and mild. An attitude that played well on this world, but was as alien to 'Star as anything else.

But he doesn't understand it, maybe he just *couldn't* understand it. And they couldn't understand why he wasn't "nice, like Longshot."

All he knew was that Layla Miller was the first person on this za-forsaken world to talk to him like a fellow sentient, to try and help him understand. She didn't give him orders like Cable had or Wolverine did. She didn't laugh at him behind his back for his savagery and strange ways and make sarcastic comments he didn't understand like Quicksilver did. She just talked to him. She was pairbonded to Madrox, she explained, and he grew to slowly accept him as well.

She had been his first friend, Longshot had explained, pointing to all the entertainment factors on Earth that showed "friendship". She had been his first friend, and she was gone and Madrox was gone, and all 'Star wants to do is kill the beast that murdered them. And they won't let him.

And he's three hours into this Danger Room session and nothing is helping and something hot and wet is running down his face like sweat and sinking to his knees, Shatterstar ends the simulation, ashamed and confused.

~~

Rictor has been sitting in the control room for the Danger Room for the past three hours, turning a crumpled slip of paper over in his fingers as he watches Shatterstar below.

The paper is written on in Layla's crappy handwriting - a date, a time, a location. And five simple words. "Please Take Care of Him." She had pressed it into his hand before the ceremony with an odd quirk of a smile. The creepy "I know stuff" smile that Ric had come to loathe. "Be gentle." She whispered in his ear.

To be honest, Shatterstar has always scared the living crap out of him. He's beautiful, no doubt about that - something that Ric has become painfully aware of as he's come to terms with his own sexuality. Physically, he's pretty much exactly his type. But the arrogance, the obnoxious attitude, the violent outbursts? yeah, not so much. And there's none of that now, from the man kneeling on the floor, sobbing silently because he doesn't know what tears are.

Ric's halfway certain that 'Star will kill him when he enters the room. So much so, that he's got his powers primed and he's ready to temporarily liquefy Shatterstar's innards if he tries anything.

But the warrior only looks up at him with red-rimmed eyes when he walks in, and straightens himself. "I did not realise you were waiting for the room, Rictor." he says hoarsely, sheathing his swords. He's tense - obviously expecting some sort of snide comment, Rictor realises as the bigger man pushes past him.

"'Star, wait." Rictor blurts out, hand automatically grabbing the redhead's arm as he passes him.

Ric is on the floor, pinned, a moment later, arm twisted and shatterstar breathing harshly above him. "Relax." Ric says, knowing his voice is shaking as much as his hands are, as much as the room is going to be in a second. "I just wanted to see if you wanted some lunch." He adds quickly, and Shatterstar releases him, sitting back on his haunches and staring at Ric.

"Lunch." 'Star says back, narrowing his eyes.

"I can't stand the mood here anymore." Ric says honestly, rubbing his shoulder. "I was gonna go down into town and get some pizza."

"Pizza." 'Star says without a hint of emotion, then he scowls, as if remembering something. "Yes. Thank you." He adds. "I shouldn't go in my uniform?"

Ric blinks at him. "No. You have civilian clothes, right?" (No one had ever bothered to really teach him, Ric wondered. Except for Layla.)

"Yes. Layla and Madrox helped me choose them." Star says quickly, sternly, as if he's trying to ward off the watering eyes again.

Ric takes care not to smile, only nods then. "Get changed, cleaned up. I'll meet you down in the garage." he says gently.

(Be Gentle.) Layla had said to him. Ric understood why, now.


End file.
